Our Blog has Moved!

We just wanted to inform you, our followers, that our blog has moved.

Noah's has multiple locations and we felt it would be better to give each location their own blog.

If you would like to keep following a Noah's blog, please choose your location below.

Noah's Central 24 Hour ER Hospital - http://noahsemergencyveterinary.com/blog
Noah's Carmel - http://noahsveterinarycarmel.com/blog
Noah's Brandywine - http://noahsveterinarygreenfield.com/blog
Noah's Caring Hands - http://noahsveterinarygeist.com/blog
Noah's Stop 11 - http://noahsveterinarystop11.com/blog
Noah's Westside - http://noahsveterinaryindianapolis.com/blog

Our website is www.noahsanimalhospital.com

Thank you!

Dental Awareness

Dental Awareness

By Dr. Karen Roach

Our pets are part of our family!  We love them, feed them, provide fresh water, keep them warm and take care of all their needs, even sometimes before our very own!  In return, they are there for us, unconditionally.  Current vaccines, parasite preventative medications and pet friendly activities will help keep them healthy and long-lived.   However, there is one aspect of care that is often ignored…dental health. 

Most pets will suffer from some form of dental disease during their lifetime.  You don’t have to let this happen to your pet though!

Mild Gingivitis

Every pet owner should know some terminology concerning dental disease.  After all, the same forms of dental disease affect people as well.  The earliest form of dental disease is gingivitis.  This is an inflammation of the gums, or gingiva, adjacent to the teeth.  Gingivitis is caused by bacteria living in the plaque and tartar film along the gumline.  Gingivitis can occur anywhere in the mouth but it is most common on the outside surfaces over the upper teeth in the front and the back of the mouth.  Gingivitis first appears as mild redness along the gumline.  The gums can then become very red, swollen and even start bleeding.  If left untreated, this form of dental disease progresses to periodontal disease.

Advanced Stage of Periodontal Disease

 Periodontal disease occurs when bacterial infection of the soft tissues surrounding the tooth starts to involve the bone and attachments of the tooth.  Severe gingivitis that progresses to periodontal disease is irreversible.  Advancement of the disease can be slowed by dental cleaning and antibiotic therapy but the disease never really goes away.  That is why it is so important to prevent this stage of dental disease.  Periodontal disease leads to root exposure and sensitivity or pain (not just during chewing) and tooth loss eventually.  Also, chronic infection of the gums can allow bacteria to pass through to the bloodstream and then to the organs of the body, leading to disease there as well. 

Another important form of dental disease seen in pets is tooth fracture.  Dogs bite down on objects of all kinds with tremendous force.  Items, such as real bones (including knuckles), antlers, cow hooves, hard plastic toys, sticks and sometimes ice cubes are common causes of fractures of the largest chewing teeth in the back of the mouth.  Avoid these items as much as possible.  Opt instead for Veterinary Oral Health Council Approved dental chews. 

Cats more often break the fang teeth, called canine teeth, during falls or hunting.  If the pulp canal (the live center of the tooth that contains the nerve and blood supply) is compromised by the fracture, the tooth is lost.  It will need to be extracted or have a root canal to treat pain and infection.  More often, extraction is advisable since a tooth that has had a root canal eventually becomes more brittle and easily broken again.

In puppies and kittens, malocclusion can occur.  This is when the teeth do not line up correctly.  This can cause painful sores inside the mouth or the lips and lead to permanent damage of emerging adult teeth. 

All puppies and kittens have “baby teeth” called deciduous teeth until about 6 months of age.  Some puppies, especially smaller breeds and rarely kittens, can retain deciduous teeth inappropriately.  This is easily treated with extraction of the baby teeth, usually when they are under anesthetic during spaying or neutering.

Does your pet need dental care or even a professional dental cleaning?  Lift up your pet’s lips.  Are the teeth shiny and white or covered with a yellow film or hard tartar?  Is your pet’s breath pleasant or not?  Review your pet’s last veterinary health report card.  Follow your veterinarian’s advice!  Remember, the goal is to prevent disease in the mouth and avoid periodontal disease.  If a dental cleaning is recommended, do not wait.  Do not let a fear of anesthesia prevent you from caring for your pet’s teeth either.  The anesthetics and monitoring equipment used today are very safe and veterinary teams are often trained in identifying trends in vital signs so that they can prevent adverse events.  Also, it takes less time under anesthesia to clean and treat teeth that are not in a state of advanced gingivitis or periodontal disease.

Professional cleaning is the best way to take care of your pet’s teeth when your veterinarian thinks it is time to do so.  You can help at home too.  There are many products available for caring for your pet’s teeth at home.  The very best is to teach your pet to sit for brushing.  Our recommendation is to use a human toddler soft toothbrush.  Even the handle is soft so you cannot hurt your pet with it.  Use a flavored pet toothpaste or even just a tiny bit of baking soda mixed with water.  (Human toothpastes have more fluoride content than a pet should have.)  Focus on the outside surfaces of the teeth along the gumlines.   Do not try to pry your pet’s mouth open, just pull the lips back.


It is best to brush as often as possible, even daily.  This prevents the soft plaque film from hardening into tartar.  Tartar cannot be brushed away.  Give a small treat reward afterward.  Start with just touching the teeth and work up to brushing.  Even adult dogs can learn to sit for this!  Hills Pet Nutrition makes a prescription diet for helping to clean pets’ teeth while eating called t/d®.


Your veterinarian should have a variety of other options for your pet.  Try to use Veterinary Oral Health Council Approved products.

Go ahead and sit down with your pet.  Lift up the lips.  What do you see?  Now that you are dental-aware, you will know what to do!

Dental Special Month!

            From now through February 28^th, Noah’s Animal Hospitals are featuring our annual Dental Special Month! (OK, it’s longer than 1 month, but we are the generous type!)  If your pet receives a dental cleaning during our special, he or she will go home with a FREE bag of Hill’s Prescription diet t/d OR Hill’s Healthy Advantage food! Other promotional deals may be available during this time.  Call your Noah’s Animal Hospital today to schedule an appointment!

DOGS AND CATS CAN DEVELOP BREAST CANCER TOO! by Dr. Kerri Suhr, D.V.M.

DOGS AND CATS CAN DEVELOP BREAST CANCER TOO! 

By Dr. Kerri Suhr, D.V.M.

 

    

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Did you know pets can develop this cancer, as well?

   

     In women, one in eight or nine will develop breast, or mammary, cancer.  In dogs that have not been spayed, that number jumps to one in four.   In intact female cats, mammary cancer is the 3rd most common cancer.  Most dogs and cats that develop breast cancer are intact females (have never been spayed), or females spayed after the age of 2-3 years, and are around 10 years of age at diagnosis.  In cats, Siamese cats are more prone to have tumors show up at a younger age than other breeds.  Male dogs and cats can also develop breast cancer, but it is not very common. 

     This sounds scary, but there is some good news!  In dogs, if a female is spayed before her first heat cycle ( which usually occurs between 8 months to a year of age) there is almost no chance of her developing breast cancer.  With one heat cycle, the percentage increases a little - to about 7%.  With multiple heat cycles, the incidence rises to one in four females developing cancer.      

Small mammary tumor in a dog.

     If female cats are spayed before they are 6 months old, they have a 91% lower incidence of mammary cancer.  They have an 86% lower rate of cancer if spayed before 1 year of age.  Studies also show that there is an 11% reduction of breast cancer if spayed before the age of 2 years.  Spaying after the age of 2 does not seem to lower the risk of mammary cancer in cats.  Having kittens does not seem to affect these numbers one way or the other. 

     Spaying your pet early is the best way to help prevent the development of mammary cancer later in life!

     Even though spaying later in life or after tumors have been detected does not seem to decrease the risks of developing mammary cancer, most of these cancers are at least early in the disease responsive to hormones.   It is thought by some to be advantageous to still spay them, as this may help them have a longer survival time after surgery.   

     If your pet happens to develop a mammary tumor, there are some important facts that you need to know:    

     50% of mammary tumors found in dogs are malignant, which means they are invasive forms of cancer with the potential to spread.  About 50% of malignant tumors of mammary glands have already spread ("metastasized") by the time they are detected. 

     The other half of mammary tumors in dogs are benign (noninvasive). In these cases, removing the tumor surgically will cure the problem. 

     Unfortunately, in cats, about 90% of mammary tumors are malignant.  These tumors in cats have a very aggressive nature, and spread quickly to lymph nodes and other surrounding mammary glands.  They can spread to the lungs and other tissues as well.     

      What should you do if you suspect a mammary tumor in your pet? 

     If you feel a hard lump in the skin on the underside of your dog or cat, call your veterinary office to schedule an appointment for further diagnostics.  Your pet will need to be examined.  Tests are usually run to determine whether cancer has spread to the lungs and lymph nodes, and to determine the overall health of the animal.  This usually includes x-rays, cytology (looking at the cells under a microscope) and bloodwork.  Fine needle aspirates that show cells under the microscope can help to determine if the mass is indeed arising from breast tissue, but this test is not great at determining a prognosis or continued treatment plan for mammary cancer.  In most cases, a surgical removal ("biopsy") with histopathology is necessary to determine what type of cells are present and if it is malignant or benign.  This means the mass is removed and is sent to a laboratory to be evaluated by a veterinary pathologist.   

Mammary tumor cells under a microscope.

     The biopsy will provide a lot of valuable information.  The pathologist will determine the type of tumor and whether it is benign or malignant.  This gives an idea of prognosis and the best type of treatment.  The biopsy also will determine if the margins of the skin  and tissues around the tumor are clean. (No signs of cancerous cells extending out to the edge of the removed mass.) This will determine whether a second surgery is necessary to remove remnants of abnormal cells.   

     Treatment recommendations depend largely upon the type of mammary cancer, the size of the mass, whether it has metastasized, and the overall health of the animal.  Removal of the mass with clear margins is often curative for benign masses.  For more aggressive tumors and tumors removed without clean margins, further surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are adjunct therapies available after the initial surgery in dogs.  In cats, aggressive surgical removal of the mammary chain can lead to patients being cancer-free for up to a year in 50% of cases. 

     Every pet with mammary cancer is different, and no two cases are alike!  Your veterinarian is your best resource to help guide your decisions for your pet's care.  If you are concerned about a lump you have found in your pet, call your favorite Noah's veterinarian to schedule an appointment. 

references:

Chemotherapy for Malignant Mammary Carcinoma  ACVIM 2013; Antony S. Moore, BVSc, MVSc, DACVIM(oncology)

VeterinaryPartner.com  The Pet Health Care Library, Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP

      

Summer Time Issues for our Pets

Each year, school kids anxiously look forward to the last days of school, eager to be away from the responsibility of homework and assignments.  Summer is a time for adventure, staying up late and enjoying the warm weather holidays, like the Fourth of July.

Unfortunately, our pets may not see things EXACTLY the same way!!

For many dogs, cats and even large animals, like horses and livestock, the noise and excitement associated with Independence Day is almost unbearable.  Local animal shelters report higher numbers of loose and roaming animals after the fourth of July and some pets have even been known to injure themselves in an effort to get away from the loud noises.  Even if your pet seems to tolerate fireworks, curious dogs have been burnt or hurt chasing sparklers, bottle rockets and even running towards a thrown firecracker!

Your pet may not be bothered by the noise of fireworks, but we still recommend that you avoid taking your pet to any area where people congregate to watch fireworks.  Even the best behaved pet might act erratically with the combination of large numbers of people and the loud booms, crackles and explosive lights.  You don’t want to risk losing your dog in a crowd of strangers OR the chance that someone might be bit.

Likewise, if you are heading out to enjoy the celebrations, don’t let your dog stay alone outside, even in a fenced in yard.  Our emergency hospital routinely sees cases of lacerations or other injuries caused by pets attempting to jump, climb or dig under fences.

If you know your pet will be bothered by the noises, or if you aren’t 100% sure, find a quiet interior room for your pet to stay the evening of the Fourth of July.  Sometimes, a radio or TV will provide enough distractive noise to drown out the worst of the fireworks.  In severe cases of noise anxiety, we might be able to prescribe a medication or supplement to help your pet relax a little bit. 

We all want to spend quality time with our pets and the summertime offers lots of opportunities for that.  Just remember that there are a few events where it’s best to leave the pet at home and firework celebrations definitely fit that bill!

CANINE AND FELINE DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE

By: Dr. Joni Kirch

Have you noticed that your furry canine family member may be having some reluctance taking their usual walks, seems stiff when they are getting up from lying down, having some difficulty jumping into the car for that cherished car ride they so much enjoy?  

Maybe they are limping or licking at one of their joints excessively.  Possibly not spending as much time as they used to with the family or they seem sore or even grumpy when touched?  What about your kitty?  Maybe they’re not jumping up on the counters like they used to (even though you tried so hard over the years to get them not to!), they seem a little stiff, resent being held, not grooming themselves as usual, or even having accidents outside their litter box?  Well, these can all potentially be signs of Degenerative Joint Disease (aka osteoarthritis or arthritis) in either your beloved canine or feline friend. 

Both dogs and cats very commonly suffer from arthritis pain. Did you know that degenerative joint disease (DJD), is the number one cause of chronic pain in dogs and cats?  DJD occurs when cartilage becomes damaged.  Cartilage is the gelatinous “shock absorber” on the ends of bones that helps decrease joint stress by reducing the impact on these bones.  The damaged cartilage results in inflammation which in turn leads to the destruction of the cartilage and then damage to the underlying bone resulting in discomfort and pain.

DJD is more often associated with older pets due to “normal wear and tear” of a joint over the years, but can also affect many young pets due to congenital joint abnormalities or even trauma.  The degree of wear and tear on a joint over the years can be affected by how athletic your pet is as well as obesity.  Congenital bone diseases that can result in arthritis include such things as canine hip dysplasia and OCD (osteochondritis dessicans, a hereditary defect in the cartilage).  DJD is best diagnosed by your veterinarian with a thorough history, complete physical exam as well as radiographs (x-rays). 

There are several key points to keep in mind when diagnosing and treating DJD.  Keep in mind that there is no cure for arthritis and only control. The goal is to help alleviate patient discomfort, decrease further degenerative changes, and to help keep the joints as pain-free and as functional as possible. Treatment often involves what is termed as a multimodal approach, meaning that several approaches for treatment are utilized to obtain better results than a single treatment option alone.  Your veterinarian can tailor a treatment plan that best meets the needs of your pet by considering any of the following factors or treatment options:

    1.      Signs of arthritis may be subtle and easy to overlook. This is especially true for cats since they may not show obvious signs of lameness.  Many times an owner just thinks their cat is aging.   Clinical signs that your cat may have arthritis are usually in the form of behavioral or lifestyle changes.  As stated above, they may be reluctant or unwilling to jump, may not jump as high, may seem a little grouchier, possibly have accidents outside the box, and may not groom themselves as much because it hurts to twist their bodies in all sorts of angles and directions like they used to when they were young and more flexible (kind of sounds like what happens when we age as well!) 

2.      Early treatment is very important to help slow down the progression of this disease.  Starting pets on chondroprotective agents (such as Adequan) or nutraceuticals (such as glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate) early can help keep the joint healthier by supporting the cartilage structure, prevent further deterioration, and decrease inflammation and free radical damage.

3.      Keeping your pet at a healthy, lean body weight is absolutely critical not only to help prevent the development of DJD but also to help slow down the progression if it develops.  Your veterinarian can give you your pet’s body condition score.  A normal healthy weight to strive for is a 5/9.  They can also give you advice to achieve this goal if your pet has a score of greater than 6/9. 

4.      Proper exercise helps to maintain muscle mass and decrease pain.  Low-impact exercise such as swimming or walking through shallow water is best but if that is not an option, then daily leash walking or controlled jogging can help as well.  Controlled exercise is good but it is also important to rest your pet if they are having any type of flare-up of pain associated with arthritis for a few days until they are feeling better.

5.      Prescription medications to help with inflammation and pain are very useful as arthritis progresses.  There are many options for various non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) such as deracoxib (Deramaxx), carprofen (Rimadyl), etodolac (Etogesic), etc.  These medications are typically used in dogs when arthritis pain advances and your pet appears painful.  Some dogs may respond to one NSAID over another and your veterinarian can decide what may be the best medication for your pet.  Keep in mind that these medications can have potential side effects such as gastrointestinal disorders and liver or kidney dysfunction. It is therefore recommended if your pet is on any NSAID to have blood work done routinely to monitor for any problems and to watch closely for any signs of gastrointestinal disease, changes in appetite, changes in urination or drinking, etc. 

6.      It is very important to note that cats are very sensitive to NSAIDs and many of them can be very toxic or have serious side effects.  Therefore, it is recommended that you never give your cat any type of NSAID and only follow the advice of your veterinarian when considering giving your cat any type of medication.  It is also critical that it is very accurately dosed to help avoid serious, even life-threatening side effects.

7.      Therapeutic diets enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, chondroitin and glucosamine can also be very  important in helping to manage DJD.  They may help with reduction of inflammation and aid in the management of arthritis.  One example of such a diet is Hill’s J/D. 

8.      Acupuncture and massage can also be alternative therapies that can provide additional pain control to help improve your pet’s quality of life as the arthritis advances.

A cat receiving acupuncture.

9.     Taking radiographs of your large breed dog while they are young (typically when they are under anesthesia for spaying or neutering) is a great time to assess whether they may have canine hip dysplasia or at risk for developing DJD in their hips as they age.  There are also options to have your dog’s hips screened either through the Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA) or via PennHip.  These methods of radiographs allow you and your veterinarian to know whether your dog’s hips are normal.  This is very important to know especially if you have any intentions to breed your purebred dog.

Although arthritis is a very common problem amongst dogs and cats, it is not the only cause of pain or discomfort.   If you are concerned that your pet is experiencing any pain or discomfort, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible to set up a consultation with them to determine if DJD is the cause or if there may be another reason for their discomfort.  With a thorough history, a complete examination and possibly radiographs, they can determine what is causing your pet’s discomfort and what options are available for treatment and management to help your pet feel better soon.

Pets Need Dental Care, Too!!

Pets Need Dental Care, Too!

            Did you know your pet needs regular dental care for a healthy, happy life?  This time of year, veterinarians across the country work together to get pet owners the information you need to prevent severe dental problems. 

            By the age of 3 years, 80% of dogs and cats have developed early to moderate stages of dental disease.  Usually the first symptom of a dental problem is bad breath.  This is often followed by more serious problems such as the development of yellow plaque along the gumline, swollen and red gums that may bleed, pain in the mouth, and a decreased appetite or aversion to hard food.  In the final stages of dental disease, known as periodontal disease, infection causes loss of bone around the tooth roots, which causes the teeth to become loose and fall out.  This condition is painful for pets.  The infection associated with periodontal disease can also spread to other organs in the body such as the heart and kidneys, potentially causing life-threatening problems.

Severe periodontal disease in a dog.  Don't wait this long for dental care in your pet!

            The good news is that severe dental disease in pets is preventable!  Through proper anesthetized dental cleanings and home dental care, you can keep your pet’s smile healthy!

Dental Home Care

             Without a doubt, the best way to keep your pet’s teeth healthy at home is by daily brushing.  Most pet owners do not brush their pet’s teeth.  However, taking time to brush your pet’s teeth every day can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars in dental care for your pet!

            It is always best to introduce your pets to the tooth brushing process when they are young, preferably during puppy and kittenhood.  Many tools are available to help you with this process!  Long and short toothbrushes, fingerbrushes, and pet safe toothpastes in a variety of flavors are at your disposal.  Make this process a positive one, by providing your pet plenty of praise and treats while you learn how to brush their teeth together!  If you need assistance with this process, our knowledgeable and dedicated Noah’s veterinarians and veterinary technicians would be happy to give you some pointers.

VOHC Seal of Approval

            Though nothing replaces the benefits of tooth brushing for your pet, other resources are available to help with dental health!  Be wary, however, of the claim of some products to prevent plaque and tartar buildup in your pet.  Look for products with a seal from the Veterinary Oral Health Council!  The VOHC tests pet dental products, and awards their seal only to those products with a proven track record. 

            At Noah’s Animal Hospitals, our favorite products are Hill’s Science Diet Prescription t/d food, and Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews – both VOHC approved, of course!  These products are readily available for purchase at all of our Noah’s locations.

Anesthetized Dental Care

            Once your pet develops plaque, tartar, gingivitis (gum disease), or loose or fractured teeth, simple tooth brushing at home is no longer effective at resolving the problem.  At this point, your pet requires a full, anesthetized mouth examination, with proper dental scaling and polishing.  In some cases, dental x-rays and removal of diseased teeth is necessary. 

Usually, the full extent of disease in your pet’s mouth cannot be evaluated until the teeth are cleaned of calculus, and the oral exam is completed.  This is because tooth disease can hide beneath the calculus, and beneath the gumline.  Once the full oral exam is completed, if unexpected disease is found, your Noah’s doctor will call you with an update and recommendations regarding further treatment for your pet.  Below are pictures of a canine patient before and after a much needed dental cleaning!

Many owners are hesitant to pursue proper scaling and polishing of their pet’s teeth due to the need for anesthesia.  We understand your concerns, and make every effort to provide a safe anesthetic experience for your pet.  However, anesthesia is absolutely essential to perform a thorough job in your pet’s mouth!  Unfortunately, pets will not sit or lay still for even a simple dental cleaning as we humans will!  To effectively clean the bacteria from the mouth, our scaling instruments must clean beneath the gumline, which is painful, especially if gingivitis is present.  Our dental equipment is very similar to the equipment used by your dentist, which means it is loud and frightens pets.  The tartar and calculus may be inhaled as they are scaled away, and anesthesia with a tube in the airway prevents this from happening.  Lastly, removal of teeth if necessary is a painful process, and requires anesthesia and appropriate pain control.

Every Noah’s patient is evaluated for anesthesia with a full physical examination, and the anesthesia protocol is tailored individually for each pet.  Bloodwork to assess organ function, blood counts, and clotting times is often recommended to determine the safety of anesthesia medications.  Increased anesthesia risks may arise with the age of your pet or any chronic disease your pet may have.  Your Noah’s doctor will discuss any increased risks with you prior to the procedure.  Additional testing may be recommended prior to anesthesia for your pet, on a case by case basis.  As always, if you have any questions or concerns about this process, ask to speak with your Noah’s doctor.

Some of our clients have seen advertising for “anesthesia free” pet dentistry.  “Anesthesia free” dentistry is a disservice to you and your pet.  Appropriate cleaning beneath the gumline cannot be achieved when your pet is stressed and moving.  If the area under the gumline is not thoroughly cleaned, tartar recurs immediately and infection around the toothroots is more likely to occur.  In addition, in the awake pet, tartar and calculus that is scaled off may be inhaled into the lungs, leading to a serious lung infection.  This service is neither safe nor effective for your pet!

Dental Special Month!

            From now through March 16^th, Noah’s Animal Hospitals are featuring our annual Dental Special Month!  (OK, it’s longer than 1 month, but we are the generous type!)  If your pet receives a dental cleaning during our special, he or she will go home with a FREE bag of Hill’s Prescription diet t/d OR Hill’s Healthy Advantage food!  Other promotional deals may be available during this time.  Call your Noah’s Animal Hospital today to schedule an appointment!

Noah’s Animal Hospitals – Spanning Four Decades

Some of our younger clients, and even a majority of our employees may find this hard to believe, but Noah’s Animal Hospitals has seen a lot of interesting changes in our world over the years.  When we first started with our flagship hospital in 1982, parachute pants, mullets and getting “Physical” with Olivia Newton John were the rage. 

 In the intervening 30 years, we have seen changes in technology, like the growth of the Internet and popularity of the mobile phone, changes in the world, like the reunification of Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and we have seen our share of horrific events, from the 9/11 bombings to space shuttle disasters.  We have also experienced shifts in popular dog breeds, changing vaccine protocols and a whole gamut of new products and diets designed to help our pets live longer, more comfortable lives. .

Heck…even our communications with our clients have changed…we now text people about their appointments or email reminders about medical care instead of sending post cards!  Instead of finding us in the phone book, clients can look us up on the Web or on Facebook!

Through it all, one thing has remained constant…our strong desire to provide the highest quality care for your four legged family members.  Our tools and technology may transform, but our passion for you and your pets remains unwavering.

I graduated from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine with honors in 1968.  Like most veterinarians, I was eager to get out and learn all I could from the leaders of that time.  After an internship in Chicago, I spent time working in North Carolina and owned my own practice in Miami for 13 years. That was a very exciting time for me as I spent time healing dogs and cats, but also got to treat exotic animals, like monkeys and large macaws.

Glass Emerson Way - built 1970

Getting back to my home state of Indiana was important and when I saw the opportunity to purchase Glass Animal Hospital near 56^th Street and Emerson in Indianapolis, I knew the time was right.  From the moment we took over and renamed it “Noah’s”, this hospital has been state of the art and the centerpiece in our group of veterinary clinics.  The building is beautiful, highly functional, and serves as the hub for all of our businesses.

As an added bonus, the energetic, smart high school student who was helping in the kennel at that time has remained with us today…you may know her now  as Dr. Mary Grabow, the hospital director at our Noah’s Caring Hands Animal Hospital.

Dr. Mary Grabow

My vision has always been to provide the best care and value for pet owners and it was just a logical extension of that vision to expand Noah’s to Speedway in 1987.  From there, it’s been a thrilling journey as we have reached out to help pets and their people all across Central Indiana.  Our hospitals now include four in Indianapolis,  2 in Greenfield and our newest location that just opened this fall, in Carmel  Along the way we have met some great friends and incorporated some fantastic ideas, all in the goal of making sure that your pets have everything that they might need when it comes to healthcare.

I am very proud of our accomplishments and achievements during these past 30 years.  Perhaps the most apparent of these has been the development and growth of our 24 hour Emergency and Critical Care facility at the 56^th Street location.  We saw the need for a full-time animal emergency hospital on this side of Indianapolis and we have been greatly encouraged by the positive response we have had from the community over the past twelve years.  Our recent remodel and expansion at this facility is further proof that our services are needed in this area.

Remodel in progress

But, we have grown in other ways too…we offer affordable plans to help people with their pet’s care at many of our locations.  This has helped pet owners understand that veterinary medicine and their pets’ care is not always a “one size fits all” solution.  We work with our clients to help them not only understand their pets’ needs, but also how we can help them meet those needs.

We have seen our staff grow from 1 full time and three part time in 1982 to more than 120 today.  From graduate veterinarians to registered technicians, highly trained assistants and friendly front office staff, we all believe that our purpose is to help you take care of your best friend.  We pride ourselves on the training and education we provide for these team members.  We encourage them always to consider furthering their own development by attending lectures, seminars or even returning to school to become a Registered Veterinary Technician, Certified Practice Manager or a specialist in any of the many aspects of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Mike Thomas, Jessie (Dr. T's Border Collie) and Santa

As I stay involved with many different national veterinary associations, like the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Information Network and National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, I have the opportunity to learn how to make caring for your pets a little easier.  All of us at Noah’s see our role not only being “the best friend of your best friend”, but also a trusted resource for you and any questions that you might have.

I am honored to be part of the Central Indiana community and part of the veterinary profession.  But above all, I treasure the wonderful clients and pets that I have met over these past 30 years and look forward to helping many, many more.  Thanks to everyone who has helped us build Noah’s into an amazing, caring place for your pets.

Dr. Mike Thomas